Improvement in bee-feeders



UNITED STATES PATENT OFEICE SAMUEL GUPLIN, OF IOWA FALLS, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-FEEDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,578, dated April 14, 1874; application filed February 12, 1874. I

To all whom fit may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL GUPLIN, of Iowa Falls, county of Hardin and `State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Device for Feeding Bees, of

which the following is a specication:

`The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a device for feeding bees within the hive, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art -to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in Which- VFigure 1 is a vertical section of the uppe part of the brood-chamber of a bee-hive. and of,` my bee-feeder in position thereon. Fig. 2

-is a bottom view of the bee-feeder, and Fig. 3

shows a modication'of the feeder. n

A represents the upper portion of the broodchamber of a bee-hive, with the top cap removed. B B are the comb-frames, suspended in Iany suitable manner so as to leave passages between their top bars for the bees to travel up and down. C represents the honeyfboard, covering` the brood-chamber A, and elevated a suitable distance above the top of the combframes. In the honey-board C` is a central aperture, a, for the reception of the beefeeder, which is constructed in the followingI manner: D represents a cylindrical band, made of metal or other suitable material, and provided with a cloth bottom, E, and a solid cover, G. The cloth E is placed over the end of the cylinder D, and extends up the sides thereof, with Wires b b crossing each other on the outside of the cloth, and the ends of said wires also extending up the sides of the cylinders. A band, D', is'then passed from the lower end around the exterior of the cylinder, confining the cloth E and the wires b b between it and the cylinder.` Around the lower end of the band D is an outwardly-projecting circumferential iiange, d, which, when the lower end of the cylinder D is inserted in the aperture a ot' the honey-board, rests upon the top of said honey-board and supports the feeder in position. By sliding the band Dl up or down the feeder is adjusted at any height desired from the comb-frames, and when so adjusted the ends of the wiresb b are bent over the upper edge of the band D to prevent it from slipping. The wires b b also keep the cloth from sagging when the feed is putin, and the cover G keeps out all dirt and insects from the feed.

By this construction'the cloth can be easily removed when gummed or soiled and another substituted.

Though I prefer making the feeder of round form, it may be made in any form desired.

`In some cases I may use a shallow feeder, H, as shown in 3. This feeder is constructed in the same manner of an interior and an exterior band, with the cloth held bef tween them 5 'but in. this case the cover, as well as the wires, is dispensed with, and the feeder rests upon the top of the comb-frames. A board, I, is then placed over the aperture in the honey-board.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by` Letters Patent, is- A A device for feeding bees consisting of the cylinder D, cloth E, wires b b, and exterior band D', provided with fia-nge d, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I hereunto atiix my signature.

SAMUEL OUPLIN.

Witnesses:

G. W. STRIKER, S. M. WEAVER. 

